A company that represented the firm foundation and the rock Kameron and I stood on since creation. The company that we started together - Jireh. My testimony alone is a real and raw authentic depiction of God providing, even when I didn’t deserve it. This company was my second chance of walking in my calling. God provided that. Kameron loved the name too and said it represented his life to the fullest. What made it even better is that we were able to get the new contract under Jireh. Nothing that we’re now doing is affiliated with Monarch at all.
When Kameron and I sat down with Kandon and told him what was going on I could tell that he wanted to join us but he was kinda stuck at Monarch. Plus he was CEO and he wasn’t about to come over to Jireh thinking he was about to run things. Our mother would find out in due time. I wasn’t pressed about her.
“How are you going to be late on your first day?” Kameron and Kandon were waiting for me as soon as I stepped off the elevator to the sixth floor.
“I got held up at the post office after I dropped Jacolby off at the airport.” For the hundredth time, I checked my phone for her text letting me know she was about to take off. I hadn’t told Jacolby that today was my first day back in my role as an architect. I should’ve told her. She would’ve made sure to be here to share this moment with me, but pride is a motherfucker.
My mood was beginning to sour, and I felt my old brute ways trying to darken the moment.
Music blasted the closer we walked the hall leading to my office. All of the employees I passed welcomed me with warm smiles and greetings. Kameron and Kandon kept talking like they weren’t hearing the loud music. Rounding the corner my lips lifted into a smile as I stepped into my new office watching my niece Brandy and Jacolby dance barefooted to MC Hammer’s ‘Can’t Touch This’…her victory song.
My Sassy Baby played this song after every test and exam she passed, and now she was sharing it with me.
“Uncle P.” Brandy jumped into my arms. Jacolby turned around with her sparkling smile.
“How are you, Princess? Who’s your friend?” I couldn’t take my eyes off my woman if I wanted to. I had so many questions.
How did she get here when I dropped her off at the airport?
By the whispers shared between her and Kameron I already knew he was in on it. Here I thought I wouldn’t be able to share my moment with my lady and she had a trick up her sleeve.
“I’m okay. This is Ms. Jacolby. She and I were dancing. I love to dance and so does she.” Brandy’s eyes lit up every time she looked over at Jacolby. It was easy to get trapped in her brightness. Easy to get sucked into her. “Daddy, guess what? Ms. Jacolby dances to the Michael Jackson Experience just like we do.” My niece had made a friend for life.
“That’s nice, baby. Say goodbye. We have to pick up your sister.” Kandon shook my hand congratulating me. Kameron soon followed and then it was just her and I.
She had enough time to get from the airport, change her clothes, and decorate my new office. Tilting my head with narrowed eyes, I’d been played in the sweetest way. She knew the post office would have me late. My eyes trailed from the ground up to her lime green and neon pink Nike’s. Grey and lime green tights with the words IVY PARK on the side. My hands tightened on the doorknob as I took in her thick thighs and wide hips. A matching crop hoodie hugged her upper body. I bit the inside of my jaw as I watched her swallow the lump in her throat. Before I tortured myself more by gawking at her nibbling on her bottom lip, I closed my eyes.
“I got you a gift to celebrate your accomplishment.” Her hands trembled as she held out the envelope. “It’s the contract I signed to join you and Kameron. You’re the new client I had to meet with. Our dream is becoming our reality. It’s finally happening, and I’m so proud and honored to do this beside you. I hope you aren’t mad. This was totally my idea to surprise you. A few days ago, I ran into Kameron at Starbucks, and he offered to pay for my order as a thank you for inspiring you to create again. His thanks turned into him letting it out that you got the contract but didn’t want anyone to know. And I know it was just your fear telling you that you couldn’t do it anymore but…”
One of her imperfections but a perfect flaw is that she became a motor mouth when nervous.
It was cute.
She was beautiful.
It made sense.
Passion Births Purpose.
“Come to me.” I appreciated her gift, but I had all I needed right here. Her sly smile bloomed so beautifully by the time she made it into my arms. Locking her in against me with an arm around her waist and the other cupping her cheek, tilting her head up so I was all she saw, being thankful for grace and mercy never felt so humbling. “I love you so much, Jacolby. You never gave up on me, on us. You’ve loved me in action and in truth. That’s the best gift anyone could ever give to me.” Thumbing away stray tears that fell from her sparkling eyes, she never lost her smile. It seemed to be the brightest thing in the room and its radiance felt like shots of vitamin D boosting my system.
Brushing my lips over hers I waited until she parted her lips so I could speak what had been spoken to me. “Passion births purpose. Thank you for being everything I needed to live again. Thank you for seeing me.”
I always felt like Jacolby saw more than the superficial when she looked at me. She saw me for who I am and will be. She sees me and I don’t think anyone ever really has. Having the eyes of others on me wasn’t the same. Their version of seeing me held no weight. Since she came back into my life, I wanted her to see that I’m sorry. So damn sorry. See that up until seeing her again I didn’t feel like I needed to see another day. I didn’t feel like my life had a purpose other than existing and sucking up Kameron’s ac and eating all his food.
Jacolby and those tantalizing eyes have always seen me and seeing that she still sees me…I need that.
I need her.
* * *
The first concertI went to was Busta Rhymes and DMX in New York. I was fourteen years old, and they weren’t coming anywhere near the east coast, so our parents gifted us all tickets and a trip to see them perform. My brothers and I had the time of our lives. The energy in the arena was insane. What made it even crazier was that neither performer needed to rap a single word. Everyone in the crowd knew their music word for word. Now here I was with my lady at the Spectrum with over fifty thousand people screaming at the top of their lungs.
Standing with her arms in the air and hips swaying to the beat, Jacolby danced for me in a gold and black Versace dress shirt with spiky black heels. The first five or six buttons of the shirt weren’t buttoned so I got a very enticing and healthy view of her black lace bra. She was a fit of snorting giggles when I frisked her to see if she was wearing panties because knowing her, she wasn’t but she wore matching lace black boy shorts.
Wanting to show my appreciation for everything that she’s done for me, I surprised her with floor seats to see Silk Sonic. Jacolby loved the group. When she read the billboard outside the arena, she politely cursed me out in a classy manner. Said you don’t see Bruno Mars in anything else but Versace and I had two choices; take her home to change or hit up the mall. I handed her my credit card and took a nap while she shopped. I laughed hard as hell when she finished getting dressed wearing the same wig Anderson Paak wears, but on her, with the makeup and red lip, my baby was sexy as hell.
Jacolby and her winding hips found themselves back in my lap as she sang off-key in my ear. You couldn’t tell me that she didn’t sound better than Jazmine Sullivan. Slow and seductively, her gaze slid downward, bringing our faces close as she pecked my lips. “Thank you for bringing me here tonight. You’re the MVP, Pi.” Her mouth grazed my earlobe.